Apparatus for assembling venetian blinds



2 Sheets-Sheef 1 April 1, 1941. c. w. JABLON APPARATUS Fon AssEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Filed March 30, 1940,

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APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING' VENTIAN BLINDS Filed March 30, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ('/lar/es W Jdldn/ ya I n ATT NEY Patented Apr. l, 1941 FICE APPARATUS ron AssmmmNG nLmns anni w. limon, New york, N. r. Application Much so, 1940, semi No. 326,931 7 claim.. (ci. zei-s4) The present invention relates't'o the manufacture of Venetian blinds, and more particularly to an apparatus for use in assembling the component parts of such blinds. c

'I'he principal object of the present invention is to provide an'apparatus which will facilitate the operation of assembling the component parts of Venetian blinds, so as to make it possible to accomplish rapid productionv of Venetian blindsin commercial quantities.

A particular feature of theinventlon is the provision of means for holding the ladder tapes of a. Venetian blind structure in a convenient eis-"- tended position so that the slat-receiving com- 'partments, formed by the walls of the ladder tapes, are presented in open disposition for insertion of the slats. Another feature of the invention is the provision ofI devices designed to enter the compartments of the ladder tapes and adapted to spread the walls thereof, whereby to enable the slats to'be easily inserted into the compartments. A further feature of the invention is the provision of a common carrier for-said spreading devices and means for bringing the spreader devices into and outv of the ladder tape compartments in unison.

A further feature of the invention is the provision as a part of said spreader devices of guiding means for directing the slats during their insertion'into the compartments of the ladder tapes, and fo'r holding the slats in spaced parallel disposition. Still another feature of the invention is the provision of limiting means for. aligning the slats to permit the operator to thread lthe conventional operating cords for the blind through the usual apertures with which each slat is provided.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of the selected physical embodiment of the invention herein disclosed progresses. With the above and other objects in view the preferred physical embodiment of the present invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts hereinafter, /described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that thel invention is not limited tothe specific details of construction herein described and illustrated in the drawings, but that changes in construction are contemplated which will nevertheless come within the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims. h

In the accompanying drawings which form an integral rpart of this specication,

Fig. 1 4is a view in side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, the spreader-guide devices being shown in a raised position;

Fig. 2 is va horizontal sectional view taken on the irregular line 2--2 of Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is`a fragmentary detail view onan enlarged scale, of the left hand portion of the apparatus shown lin Fig. 1, the spreader-guide devices being shown in a lowered position;

Fig. 4 is a. view in end elevation of the appa- A ratus shown in Fig. 3, looking from left to right and Fig.. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective oi one\ of the spreader-guide devices of the present invention, with associated parts of the carrier elements therefor.

Referring now in greater detailto the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description herein, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, F designates generally a supporting frame or structure having upright posts I0,

II and I2, and horizontal cross-members Il, I4,

of vertically spaced anges 24 for engaging the -components 2|. lponents comprises a pair of oppositely disposed l5 and I6. On each side'of the supporting frame: adjacent the lower portion thereof, there is pref-l erably provided a shelf or platformv I1 which extends longitudinally of the supporting frame and rests on supporting members I8 provided at the lower portions of the upright posts I0, II and I2. Each shelf or platform l1 is adapted for supporting thereon in horizontally extended position, a Venetian blind structure of the conventional type, a partial assembly of which is shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2.

The partially assembled blind structure with which the slats are to be assembled consists, as shown in Figs. l and 2, of an upper rail component I9, a lower rail component 20, and ladder tape Each of the ladder tape comlongitudinal tapes 2Ia, the ends of which are connected in the usual manner to the upper and lower rail components I9 and 20, and a plurality of cross tapes 2Ib connecting the longitudinal tapes and forming therewith compartments or pockets 22 in which the slats 23 (see Fig. 5) are to be inserted In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the apparatus .is provided with suitable means for holding the blind structure in horizontally extended position. For this purpose the outer upright post I2 is provided with a pair rail component I9 of the blind structure and holding it in a fixed position while the rail component 2li is moved horizontally by the operator to stretch out the connected ladder tapes 2| in a horizontal disposition so that the ladder tapes occupy the extended position shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he cross-members I4 and I6 of the supporting frame are each provided with longitudinalslots 25 through 'which is passed a bolt 26 that s'erveswhen tightened lto'hold a traveling arm. 21 inv any desired adjusted position lengthwise of the corresponding cross-member. Each of these traveling arms 21 is designed to extend across the rail component 23 of the blind structure for holding it against the tension exerted by the extendedladder tapes 2|.

On opposite sides of each of the upright posts I0. Il and l2 is mounted a vertical guide plate 28 having a longitudinal slot 29. On each side of the supporting frame F there is mounted and fitted to slide vertically upon the guide plates 28, a cross-head H which comprises a pair of horizontally spaced bars 30 and 3l, extending longitudinally of the frame, these bars being connected at appropriate intervals by spacing blocks 32. Each of the cross-heads H serves to carry up and down a series of depending spreader-guides S which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. In Fig. 2 is shown in horizontal sectional detail one of the sliding devices for the cross-head H, consisting of a set of headed' studs 33 set into the cross-head and transixlng the slots 29 in the guide plates 28.

On each side of the supporting frame F adiacent the upper portion thereof, there is provided a beam 34 of channeled cross-section, which is mounted by means of suitable bolts 35 on supporting members 36 provided at the upper portion of each of the posts l0, ll andvlE. Each of the beams 34 extends longitudinally of the supporting frame and is provided interiorly at spaced intervals with direction pulleys 3l, over which extend cables or cords 38. Each of the cables 38 has one end secured as at 39 to one of the blocks 32 of the cross-head H, and the other ends of the cables terminate in a common draw loop 40 operable manually at one end of the supporting frame F, for lowering and raising the cross-head H.

The spreader-guides S are carried by the crosshead H, each spreader-guide consisting of two elongated oppositely disposed, symmetrically arranged members 4l, formed of rigid sheet material (see Fig. 5). The inner faces 42 of the spreader-guide members 4| are formed with slots 43 and the lower endsof the members ill are beveled or tapered asat 44 to facilitate their entry into the compartments 22 formed by the walls of the ladder tapes 2|. In Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that `the spreader-guides S are arranged in spaced parallel relation and are disposed directly over the compartments formed by the walls of the ladder tapes. When the spreader guides S are lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 by means of the manually operable draw loop 40, they are caused to enter the compartments of the ladder tapes and the outer walls 45 of the spreadermembers 4I act to spread the walls oi the compartments so as to enable the slats 23 to b easily inserted therein. In inserting the slats into the compartments of the ladder tapes, each slat is placed preferably by hand in its appropriate spreader guide, as indicated in Fig. 5, by moving the slat down into the slots 43, thus bridging the gap between the spreader-guide members 4I. The upper portionsof the inner faces* 42 ,of the spreader-guide members are preferably cut away as at 46 to provide a mouth for ready reception of the slat to be inserted, and the lower tapered ends 44 of the spreaderguide members are slottedy as at 41 to permit passage of the slat through the spreader-guide.

'I'he slats 23 are each provided with spaced transverse apertures 43, shown in Fig. 5, through which are to extend the operating cords for the completed Venetian blind structure. When the slats are placed in their appropriate spreaderguides, they drop tothe platform Il and are held, by cooperation of the platform l1 and the spreader-guides, in upright spaced parallel alignment, to permit threading of the operating cords 49 for the blind through the aligned apertures 48. The spreader-guide members 4l, being spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 2,l not only afford a continuous space, parallel with the longitudinal tapes 2Ia'of the ladder tapes, for passage of the cords 49 in the threading operation, but actually serve as guides for such. threading. The threading operation is performed with a suitable instrument in the nature of a needle to which the cord is connected by passing same through the apertures of the slats and the end rails.

The threading of the operating cords through the apertures of the slats and the end rails completes the operation of assembling the component parts of the blind, and the spreader-guides S may then be raised out of the compartments of the ladder tapes by pulling on the draw loop 40. The assembled blind structure is then dismounted from the apparatus, and the apparatus is ready for the assembling operation of another blind.

It will be apparent that the apparatus embodies duplex sets of instrumentalities for the purpose of accomplishing the assembling operation so that two operators may be employed at the same time on opposite sides of the apparatus,

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for assembling the components of a ladder tape Venetian blind structure, comprising in combination, means for holding the ladder tapes of a blind in extended position with its slat-receiving compartments in open disposition, a series of elongated guide members in spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the compartments and insertable therein, means for holding the guide members in said spaced` relation and'for the insertion of same as a unit into the compartments of the ladder tapes, each guide member having guiding .parts adapting same for receiving a slat to freely guide it into its respective compartment, and means for engaging the inserted slats and for retaining same in alignment to permit threading of the operating cords for the blind through the thus aligned apertures of the slats.l

2. An apparatus for assembling the components of a ladder tape Venetian blind structure, comprising in combination, means for holding the ladder tapes of a blind in extended position with its slat-receiving compartments in open disposition, a series of elongated spreader-guides in spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the compartments and insertable therein, means for holding the spreader-guides in said spaced relation and for the insertion of same as a unit into the compartments of the ladder tapes, said spreader-guides each having a conformation at their leading ends adapted to spread-the walls of said compartments and having guiding parts adapting each spreader-guide for receiving a slat to freely guide it into its respective compartment, and means for'engaging the inserted slats and for retaining same in alignment to permit threading of the operating cords for the blind through the tlius aligned apertures of the slats.

3. An apparatus for assembling the components of a ladder tape Venetian blind structure,

, comprising in combination, means for holding CTI spreader-guides each having a conformation at their leading ends adapted to spread the walls of said compartments and having longitudinal slots adapting eachsprcader-guide for receiving a slat to freely guide it into its respective'compartment, and a platform for engaging the inserted slats and for supporting same in upright alignment to permit threading of the operating cords for the blind through the thus aligned apertures of the slats.

4. An apparatus for assembling the components of a ladder tape Venetian blind structure, comprising in combination, mean-s for holding the ladder tapes of a blind in horizontally extended position with its slat-receiving compartments inl -open upright disposition. a' series of elongated spreader-guides'in spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the compartments and insertable vertically therein, means for holding said spreader-guides in said1 spaced relation and for the insertion of same as a unit into the compartments of the ladder tapes, said spreader-guides each having a conformation at their leading ends adapted to spread the wallsV of said compartments and having .longitudinal slots adapting each spreader-guide for receiving a slat to freely guide it vinto its respective compartment, a platform for engaging the inserted slats and for supporting same in upright alignment to permit threading of the operating cords for the blind through the ating cords for the blind through the thus aligned 4apertures of the slats, said holding means for the spreader-guides being mounted on the frame forl reciprocatory vertical movement relative to theL ladder tapes and manually actuated means for reciprocating said holding means whereby to bring the spreader-guides into and out of the` compartments of the ladder tapes, said actuating -means including a set of cables secured to said holding means and guided over pulleys on the frame to a common manually` operable draw member.

6. An apparatus for assembling the components of a ladder tape Venetian blind structure comprising in combination, an upright frame, a platform on a side of the frame upon which the upper and lower rail components of a blind may be supported on end, means on the frame for holding said railcomponents in spaced relation with the connected ladder tapes extended in horizontal position presenting its slat-receiving compartments in open upright dispositiorrva crosshead .mounted on said side of the frame for reciprocatory vertical movement relative to said ladder tapes, saidcross-head having a series of elongated spreader-guides insertable vertically into the compartments of the ladder tape depending therefrom in spaced relation corresponding to the spacing of the compartments, and

into and out of the compartments in unison, said A spreader-guides each having a conformation at thus aligned apertures of the slats, said holding f means for the spreader-guides being mounted for reciprocatory vertical movement relative tothe ladder tapes, and manually actuated means for reciprocating said holding means whereby to bring the spreader-guides into and out of the compartments of the ladder tapes.

5. An apparatus for assembling the components vof a ladder tape Venetian blind structure, comprising in combination, an upright frame, means onthe frame -for holding the ladder tapes of a vvtheir leading ends adapted to spread the walls of said compartments and having longitudinal slots adapting each spreader-guide for receiving a slat to freely guide it into its respective compartment, said platform also serving to engage the inserted slats 4and to support same in upright alignment with said rail components to permit threading of the operating cords for the blind through the thus aligned apertures of the slats and rail components.l

7. A mechanism for use in assembling the componentsl of a ladderA tape Venetian blind structure, said rnecl'ianisrn including means -for spreading the compartmentsof the ladder tapes of a blind, for guiding the insertion of slats into said compartments, and for guiding the threadingV of the operating cords of the blind through the apertures of the slats, comprising a series of spreaderguidesin spaced relation corresponding to the lspacing vof thecompartments and insertable blind in horizontally extended position with its slat receiving compartments in openrupright disposition, a series of elongated spreader,-g'uidesin` the spacing of.

spaced relation` corresponding to,

the compartments and insertable vertically therein, means for holding said spreader-guidesin said spaced relation and for the insertion o'f` same as a unit intothe compartments ofthet` ladder tapes, said. spreader-guides each having av conformation at their leading ends adapted to spread the Walls of -said compartments and having longitudinal slotsadapting'each spreaderguide for receiving a slat to reelyguide itvinto its respective compartment,I a platform for engaging the inserted slats andfor supporting same "in upright alignment to permit threading of the oper-` therein, and -mea'ns for holding the spreaderguides in said spaced relation andfforythe insertion of same as a unit into the compartments,

. each spreader-guide comprising a pair Aof spaced elongated' members having a conformation at their leading l ends adapted to spread the wallsof 1 j one of the compartments,.said elongatedmeinbers Y A having opposed'. faces, with longitudinalyslots arranged in. symmetrical disposition adapting the spreader-guide for receiving a slatto freely guide it into vits respective compartment, the spaces be.

tween said elongated .members being arranged in alignment tovform a continuous guide for threading the o peratingcords of the blind through the apertures of the slats'.

` 'CHARLES W. JABLON. 

